Clitocybe odora is easily recognized by its pale blue-green color and its distinctive anise-like odor. The mushroom is edible, but not very many people go looking for it. C. odora is sometimes called the “Aniseed Funnel” or “Blue-Green Clitocybe,” but most people refer to it by its scientific name.
Fistulina hepatica is a very unusual polypore that is easy to recognize: it looks (and somewhat feels) like a large tongue growing from the side of a tree. This edible mushroom is distinctive because of its bizarre pore surface. When young, the pores are little more than multicolored bumps. As the mushroom matures, the pores develop into individual tubes, like a collection of straws. Its unique, meat-like color and texture earned F. hepatica the common names “Beefsteak Fungus” and “Ox Tongue Fungus.”
Often called the “Slippery Jack,” Suillus luteus is a fall bolete notable for its extremely slimy cap. Although you might think this texture is unsuitable for the table, the Slippery Jack is actually eaten fairly regularly. People who do eat this mushroom must make sure to peel off the upper surface of the cap. This is done for two reasons: the slimy layer does not have a very good texture and contains toxins that may cause some gastrointestinal distress.
This mushroom certainly lives up to its name! The largest Calvatia gigantea fruiting body on record was 8ft 8in in diameter and weighed 48 pounds! Normally, the “Giant Puffball” forms mushrooms much smaller than that. However, the mushrooms routinely reach sizes of a foot across or larger. Many could easily be mistaken for abandoned soccer balls from far away.
Note: This is an archived post. Click here to read the current version of this post. This Amanita is considered edible and many people eat it, although just as many people avoid it because it is easily confused with some deadly poisonous amanitas. Known as the “Blusher,” rubescens is notable because it stains pinkish when injured.
This chanterelle is one of the most beautiful and distinctive chanterelles, thanks to its bright red color. Cantharellus cinnabarinus is small to medium in size, meaning that you have to pick quite a few if you want to make a meal out of them.
Note: This is an archived post. You can read the current version here. Pluteus cervinus is one of the first gilled mushrooms to appear in the spring, although you can also find it during summer and fall. Commonly called the “Deer Mushroom,” it is distinguished by its free gills, pinkish spore print, radish-like odor, and unique, pointed cystidia (if you have a microscope). In Europe, the mushroom is called the “Deer Shield” (I think mushrooms in the genus Pluteus are called “shields” in Europe, though I’m not sure why) or the “Fawn Pluteus.” I was introduced to this mushroom as the “Fawn Mushroom,” which is not as common as “Deer Mushroom” in the United States.
Note: This is an archived post. You can read the current version of this post here. Black morels can be distinguished from yellow morels by their dark ridges and light pits. Other morels have light ridges with darker (or only slightly darker) pits. Morchella angusticeps is the most widespread black morel in North America. It can be found almost anywhere east of the Rocky Mountains, although it is not as common as yellow morels.
This is one of the most common false morels. Anyone hunting morels should be familiar with false morels, since they appear at the same time and are potentially deadly. Gyromitra esculenta can be distinguished from other false morels by its brain-like texture, reddish-brown color, and relatively thin stem. Most people just call esculenta a “false morel,” but it has some other common names, including: “Brain Mushroom,” “Beefsteak Morel,” “Lorchel,” and “Turban Fungus” (the last name is used in Europe).
This distinctive, ear-shaped mushroom is brown in color and gelatinous in texture. Auricularia auricula-judae is a common find in North America and Europe and has a close relative in Asia. As a result, the fungus has accumulated a variety of common names. The two most commonly used names in English are “Jelly Ear,” “Wood Ear,” and “Tree Ear.” Other popular names for this mushroom include “Judas’ Ear” or “Jew’s Ear.” In most European countries, the regional common name translates to “Judas’” Indeed, the species name for this mushroom translates to “Ear of Judas.” English translations of Asian names for this mushroom include: “Wood Ear Mushroom” and “Cloud Ear Mushroom.”
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